‘a Tiger Journal’ Features Part Two of Its Four Part Interview Series with Keshav Varma, the World Bank’s Program Director for the Global Tiger Initiative (GTI)

June 14, 2012

Endangered tiger blog ℠a Tiger Journal.com´ has posted the second part of its four part interview series with Keshav Varma, the World Bank´s Program Director for the Global Tiger Initiative, on saving tigers in the wild.

Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) June 14, 2012

Endangered tiger blog ‘a Tiger Journal.com’ has posted the second part of its four part interview series with Keshav Varma, the World Bank´s Director for the Global Tiger Initiative (GTI), on saving tigers in the wild.

Part two of the interview series focuses on the ℠solutions´ for saving wild tigers.

“One of the major solutions is, that since we launched the GTI in 2008, we have not only been able to create a platform for partnerships, but we have also been able to bring the Tiger Range Countries (TRCs) to the forefront, to the leadership position,” says Varma. “And they each now have their National Tiger Recovery Priorities.”

“So I think one of the most clear-cut, well planned and coordinated solution is the actual implementation of the National Tiger Recovery Priorities and the Global Tiger Recovery Program in the respective countries,” he said.

But according to Varma, implementing these priorities will not be without obstacles. He says the ℠woeful´ lack of funding in some countries could make it difficult for those TRCs to achieve their goals.

“In some TRCs, protected areas are woefully under-resourced,” says Varma. “The staffs are poorly paid and may lack vehicles, communications, and even uniforms. This makes it very difficult for rangers to patrol the entire protected area to deter poaching and encroachment.”

Varma added that the people protecting tigers in the wild need to have the right tools to do their jobs successfully. And perhaps just to stay alive.

“There is also a need to supply park staff with modern technology, such as night-vision glasses, and better weapons. Poachers are very often far better equipped and armed that guards– it´s stout sticks against machine guns!”

Even though there are apparent obstacles for the TRCs to achieve their National Tiger Recovery Priorities, Varma says a number of solutions are being both considered -and implemented- to help generate the ideas and the revenues needed to save tigers in the wild.

“In a few places, such as India´s Corbett Tiger Reserve, there are dedicated private foundations that help. And this idea needs to be marketed more widely,” says Varma. “Another way to increase park funding is to allow a park to keep entry fees rather than this money going back to general funds; surcharges could also be applied to ecotourism facilities whose primary attraction is proximity to a park.”

Varma says another effort to save tigers in the wild is based on making it more ℠efficient´ for TRCs to share information they have collected about tigers in the wild and ways to save them.

“One thing we are trying to create is an ℠Open Parks Grid´ as a way for park managers to access research and scientific data in a very open manner,” says Varma. “We are trying to create an environment of open science and better monitoring for tracking tigers, for example, and for accountable methods for staff work programs.”

Varma says these solutions —and more- will be vitally important for saving tigers in the wild.